Cancer, minorities, and the medically underserved: A call to action.

In an edited excerpt from her opening address delivered on March 24, 2004, at the Ninth Biennial Symposium on Minorities, the Medically Underserved, and Cancer in Washington, DC, former US Surgeon General Antonia C. Novello, MD, Dr. PH, encouraged health professionals to dispense with "age-old approaches" that have failed to eliminate health disparities affecting minorities and go in a "bold new direction.

Decline in perinatal HIV transmission in New York State (1997-2000).

Background: Perinatal HIV transmission has declined significantly in New York State (NYS) since implementation of a 3-part regimen of zidovudine prophylaxis in the antenatal, intrapartum, and newborn periods. This study describes the factors associated with perinatal transmission in NYS from 1997 to 2000, the first 4 years of NYS's comprehensive program in which all HIV-exposed newborns were identified through universal HIV testing of newborns.

Methods: This population-based observational study included all HIV-exposed newborns whose infection status was known and their mothers identified in NYS through the universal Newborn HIV Screening Program (NSP) from February 1997 to December 2000.